1. Thapal petti and Anchal petti.
In Chennai city there is a place itself called Thapal petti. It is on the way to Madhavaram from Perambur. I have heard Thapal petti was used to post letters to go out side Travancore in ancient days in Kerala. Anchal petti was used to post letters with in Travancore state. Thapal charge was more.
If I recollect old post offices were called Anchal office and postmen were called anchal sipayi. The anchal petti was painted in green and Thapal petti in Red Brown. There were anchal and thapal post cards separately at one time.
2. Emblem sankhu
I have seen old post box painted and maintained in the front of PMG office Trivandrum with emblem Sankhu of old Travancore state. The PMG office is also having the emblem of Sankhu in the entrance. My circle office was behind PMG office, carving premises from it.
3. Postmanae kananilla. (Not seeing post man)
There was a film also by the name as above. It was a practice on olden days to wait for the postman. There was a fixed time the postman will come to each area. People anxiously used to wait for his arrival. He will come to the area, either 10 minutes earlier or later maximum.
Now too post men come at a specified time. They have become more interactive and personal than olden days I think. Today our area postmen know well about me. If a letter comes to me in my old address, he brings to me in new premises. Today a registered letter or money order to me he delivers to my wife if I am not there. He feels freedom to ask for water sitting in the corridor or sit out, and pleasingly accept cool buttermilk offered.
While I was in Trivandrum, the postman of the premises post office call an intimate if any registered document is there and the time of his arrival. This is to ensure we should not go out.
The communication was by post cards and covers. I do recollect inland was introduced when I was studying in 7th standard or so. The cards were the most common form of communication. People used to get pension through money order only by 1966's. By 10th of every month, people will be anxiously waiting to get the money order of their sons. Unless it comes, many could not pay the credits of peedika (shop).
4. Crowd before post office.
By 1960's it was a practice for many to go Post office as a regular schedule. Most used to get one or two letters. Some times postmen used to hand over ordinary letters to near by houses also to the person visit. For delivering money order and registered letters post men used to come in person, as continued now too. On those days postmen will hand over letter, not to put on letterbox or gate.
5. Salary by money order
I used to get my salary by money order till about 1975's. Pay rolls and distribution were later only. Lately crediting to bank account or through cheque.
6. Post Master and postman VIPs
For any function the postmaster and postman were VIPs yester years. They used to attend after office time. Now a day the postman has become busier. Surely he will call one day and enquire about it.
7. Post and Telegraph office.
Even when I was about ten years, my Pandalam post office was a P and T office with telegraph facility. Telegrams were received at all time by post master residing in the quarters. Telegrams were sent with late fee and postmaster used to get it. There were telegraph messengers separately. Mostly persons were afraid of telegrams. The reason telegrams were sent only for such purposes.
8. Pandalam PCO.
When I was studying in the college, I found a big structure installed in the post office and one peon used to get in to and crank the handle of an equipment and say hello, hello… Truly to say I just understood it is telephone. Later only I studied about Alexander Grahambal and invention of telephone and its working. I have never used the phone till I entered service.
Later I understood if a telephone call was there to any body it is received in the PO, a messenger will go and call him and the concerned person will talk. I am talking a period of 1960's in Kerala. - About fifty years back!!!
9. Penalty for less stamps.
While sending items in cover for excess weight the postman used to collect excess charge levied in person. This was mis -used instead of sending registered articles by many businessmen. Some how it got stopped by some stringent measures by postal department later.
10. Postal seal and date.
The postal seal with date was considered as authority in olden days. New post offices till established well had no name. When a post office at Kulanada, my exact native was opened, still I recollect the seal was EXPTL PO. (Experimental Post office)
11. Express delivery and speed post
On those days, affixing additional stamp and affixing EXPRESS DELIVERY stripe supplied, delivery was done on Sunday also. Now our speed post has taken its place.
(By the way affixing a stamp upside down was called invalid!!)
12. The post office savings bank.
The only bank known to the middle class or common man was post office savings bank. Richer people used to keep thousands of rupees in post office. A sum of Rs- 5000 in post office was a very very big amount during 1960's.
In fact the first salary I received was 163-00 rupees in 1967 as junior engineer. I do recollect one gram of gold was cost Rs 16-00, I do recollect, I have purchased when my son was born for an aranjanam in 1971.
Today too many keep post office savings along with other bank accounts.
13. Postal engraving machine.
To avoid wastage of stamps engraving machine was introduced. This is still in use for bulk postings.
Concession posting, prepaid posting, pre approved posting are all additions late.
14. Radio licence collection.
Licence fee for radio were collected in post offices. Of late many facilities are introduced every day.
15. Postal charges.
The postal charges are comparatively less today. It is less costly to send via post office letters to foreign countries. Courier is cheap and convenient only locally.
Now a day money order is transmitted on line. Mostly the money order is paid the same or next day.
Now a day telegrams are for greetings only maximum. Fax has mostly replaced telegrams, which is more authentic to telegram. The speed post and charges are most handy and convenient.
The money order charges of Rs 5-00 for one hundred rupees are practically very less. Many people prefer to send small amounts by money order.
16. Devine activity
Recently I read if any lost purse or documents are put in post box, it will be delivered to the proper person, if details available with small fee. What a divine act?
17. Airmail.
Previously we had to fix airmail strip and additional charge for sending through airmail. Now no such thing. Intercity dak exchange is through air now mostly.
18. Courteous behaviour.
I do not know, whether a change of situation or any training, most staff exhibit excellent behaviour. If you go to major post offices, the staffs in the counter are found most pleasing really with motto service before self. This is similar to personal banking branches of banks!!
19. Open post office.
I conclude this posting with an indirect saying that post office is opened , if some body has for got to put zip of pant to remind of him of it now a day used!!
In Chennai city there is a place itself called Thapal petti. It is on the way to Madhavaram from Perambur. I have heard Thapal petti was used to post letters to go out side Travancore in ancient days in Kerala. Anchal petti was used to post letters with in Travancore state. Thapal charge was more.
If I recollect old post offices were called Anchal office and postmen were called anchal sipayi. The anchal petti was painted in green and Thapal petti in Red Brown. There were anchal and thapal post cards separately at one time.
2. Emblem sankhu
I have seen old post box painted and maintained in the front of PMG office Trivandrum with emblem Sankhu of old Travancore state. The PMG office is also having the emblem of Sankhu in the entrance. My circle office was behind PMG office, carving premises from it.
3. Postmanae kananilla. (Not seeing post man)
There was a film also by the name as above. It was a practice on olden days to wait for the postman. There was a fixed time the postman will come to each area. People anxiously used to wait for his arrival. He will come to the area, either 10 minutes earlier or later maximum.
Now too post men come at a specified time. They have become more interactive and personal than olden days I think. Today our area postmen know well about me. If a letter comes to me in my old address, he brings to me in new premises. Today a registered letter or money order to me he delivers to my wife if I am not there. He feels freedom to ask for water sitting in the corridor or sit out, and pleasingly accept cool buttermilk offered.
While I was in Trivandrum, the postman of the premises post office call an intimate if any registered document is there and the time of his arrival. This is to ensure we should not go out.
The communication was by post cards and covers. I do recollect inland was introduced when I was studying in 7th standard or so. The cards were the most common form of communication. People used to get pension through money order only by 1966's. By 10th of every month, people will be anxiously waiting to get the money order of their sons. Unless it comes, many could not pay the credits of peedika (shop).
4. Crowd before post office.
By 1960's it was a practice for many to go Post office as a regular schedule. Most used to get one or two letters. Some times postmen used to hand over ordinary letters to near by houses also to the person visit. For delivering money order and registered letters post men used to come in person, as continued now too. On those days postmen will hand over letter, not to put on letterbox or gate.
5. Salary by money order
I used to get my salary by money order till about 1975's. Pay rolls and distribution were later only. Lately crediting to bank account or through cheque.
6. Post Master and postman VIPs
For any function the postmaster and postman were VIPs yester years. They used to attend after office time. Now a day the postman has become busier. Surely he will call one day and enquire about it.
7. Post and Telegraph office.
Even when I was about ten years, my Pandalam post office was a P and T office with telegraph facility. Telegrams were received at all time by post master residing in the quarters. Telegrams were sent with late fee and postmaster used to get it. There were telegraph messengers separately. Mostly persons were afraid of telegrams. The reason telegrams were sent only for such purposes.
8. Pandalam PCO.
When I was studying in the college, I found a big structure installed in the post office and one peon used to get in to and crank the handle of an equipment and say hello, hello… Truly to say I just understood it is telephone. Later only I studied about Alexander Grahambal and invention of telephone and its working. I have never used the phone till I entered service.
Later I understood if a telephone call was there to any body it is received in the PO, a messenger will go and call him and the concerned person will talk. I am talking a period of 1960's in Kerala. - About fifty years back!!!
9. Penalty for less stamps.
While sending items in cover for excess weight the postman used to collect excess charge levied in person. This was mis -used instead of sending registered articles by many businessmen. Some how it got stopped by some stringent measures by postal department later.
10. Postal seal and date.
The postal seal with date was considered as authority in olden days. New post offices till established well had no name. When a post office at Kulanada, my exact native was opened, still I recollect the seal was EXPTL PO. (Experimental Post office)
11. Express delivery and speed post
On those days, affixing additional stamp and affixing EXPRESS DELIVERY stripe supplied, delivery was done on Sunday also. Now our speed post has taken its place.
(By the way affixing a stamp upside down was called invalid!!)
12. The post office savings bank.
The only bank known to the middle class or common man was post office savings bank. Richer people used to keep thousands of rupees in post office. A sum of Rs- 5000 in post office was a very very big amount during 1960's.
In fact the first salary I received was 163-00 rupees in 1967 as junior engineer. I do recollect one gram of gold was cost Rs 16-00, I do recollect, I have purchased when my son was born for an aranjanam in 1971.
Today too many keep post office savings along with other bank accounts.
13. Postal engraving machine.
To avoid wastage of stamps engraving machine was introduced. This is still in use for bulk postings.
Concession posting, prepaid posting, pre approved posting are all additions late.
14. Radio licence collection.
Licence fee for radio were collected in post offices. Of late many facilities are introduced every day.
15. Postal charges.
The postal charges are comparatively less today. It is less costly to send via post office letters to foreign countries. Courier is cheap and convenient only locally.
Now a day money order is transmitted on line. Mostly the money order is paid the same or next day.
Now a day telegrams are for greetings only maximum. Fax has mostly replaced telegrams, which is more authentic to telegram. The speed post and charges are most handy and convenient.
The money order charges of Rs 5-00 for one hundred rupees are practically very less. Many people prefer to send small amounts by money order.
16. Devine activity
Recently I read if any lost purse or documents are put in post box, it will be delivered to the proper person, if details available with small fee. What a divine act?
17. Airmail.
Previously we had to fix airmail strip and additional charge for sending through airmail. Now no such thing. Intercity dak exchange is through air now mostly.
18. Courteous behaviour.
I do not know, whether a change of situation or any training, most staff exhibit excellent behaviour. If you go to major post offices, the staffs in the counter are found most pleasing really with motto service before self. This is similar to personal banking branches of banks!!
19. Open post office.
I conclude this posting with an indirect saying that post office is opened , if some body has for got to put zip of pant to remind of him of it now a day used!!
1 comment:
hi there, did you know how many anchal offices were back there in Kerala. I would be much obliged to get the information. Please send the details to kn.muza@gmail.com. Thanks.
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